Her first kitten…
Posted: April 29, 2012 Filed under: adopting a cat, adopting a kitten, cat behavior, cats, essay, kittens | Tags: adopting a kitten, kittens, raising a kitten, shelter kittens 12 CommentsA 13-year-old girl who loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian is going to adopt her first companion animal, a kitten—or kittens, if she has her way. How many of us got our start with companion animals just like that, pre-teens or young teenagers who loved animals and wanted to be veterinarians, and our parents appeased us by adopting a shelter animal?
And are you one of the many who was given a kitten or a puppy as a gift in childhood? If you’re anything like me, that animal made all animals a permanent part of your life.
I rarely travel, and one of the things I look forward to is meeting new people and seeing new things all the way, on this trip from the time I left the house in the pre-dawn darkness to catch the train until the time I arrived back home late at night four days later to greet my startled cats who were apparently looking for me the entire time.
On my way back I overheard a conversation between one of two young girls seated behind me and an older woman across the aisle from them. It was just part of the buzz around me as we all settled in until I heard the word “kitten” my ears pricked up and swiveled around as much as a human’s can do.
In a minute or two I confirmed that a kitten adoption was planned over the coming week. Much as I like to meet new people and converse among the seats, I also prefer to give people their privacy when they are in a conversation amongst themselves, but I couldn’t resist.
I slid toward the end of the seat next to me, leaned back a little and caught the eye of the woman who was apparently the mother who had planned this. She smiled at me so I felt it safe to enter the conversation.
“Is someone adopting a kitten?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Mom, “my daughter loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian, and I’m moving to a place where we can have a cat for her. She’s never had a pet, and she’s so excited!”
13-year-old girls are way too cool to show excitement. When I looked around my seat to the one behind me, she glanced up from her computer game, just moved her eyelids and nothing else, and nodded. I smiled.
“I probably wouldn’t interrupt your conversation, but…” I briefly described my credentials as a cat lady, making myself out to be a professional on the subject of cats instead of just the crazy cat lady who was crocheting a hat in the seat ahead of them, which was also true.
Mom was glad to have someone to ask questions. I was glad to share the enthusiasm I always had for discussing cats and the information I’d learned over the past 40 years of living with cats. Teenage daughter played her computer game but listened, I could tell.
I asked for the details of how they were adopting and when, how old the kitten was, if they had things ready and what their daily schedule was like to see what information I could offer them, and answering Mom’s questions.
As it turned out, the kitten was one of a litter taken in to a shelter in Harrisburg. They had visited the shelter weeks ago and met this kitten and others and decided on this one and possibly a sibling, but had to wait until they had most of their vaccinations and been spayed or neutered. The kitten would be eight to ten weeks at going home, just at the beginning of that growth spurt and ready to raise ruckus as young kittens are programmed to do.
I told them that kittens at that age had a lot of energy and no common sense, and so they had to plan for the kitten to be very playful, but also likely to get into trouble without intending by climbing into or onto places that might be dangerous, scratching things it shouldn’t, and even playing rough with the humans.
And, since the kitten would be home alone all day and even overnight later I told them that two kittens would be a better idea since the kittens would keep each other company during the day, beating each other up instead of getting into trouble while alone.
“Kittens are often misinterpreted as being ‘bad’ and sent back to the shelter because people don’t understand that during those weeks of development from toddler to teenager in human terms, they have to play hard to build muscles and coordination, to explore to develop their senses,” I said, or some variation on that. Kittens develop very quickly, and by sixteen weeks can be completely independent and even sexually mature—all this learning has to happen before that, even if they’ll never use it to kill live prey, defend themselves or mate or give birth.
A good bit of discipline, then, depends on understanding what the kittens are doing, and if necessary redirecting the energy into something more appropriate. I could imagine two little kittens ripping through the house they were describing.
“Little, little kittens can climb into places where you might not even fit your hand,” I said, “and even bigger kittens can get themselves into a mess, so check for everything they can get in to, because they will. And don’t be afraid to confine them to one room for portions of the day for their own safety, while you are away or while you are eating or cooking,” I continued.
Thinking of the teenager who I knew was listening and might be one of the few to actually go on and graduate as a veterinarian, I explained that all cats scratch things because they leave their scent from scent glands in their paws, they groom their claws, removing old layers of cuticle, and they stretch full-length and exercise their muscles. Just figure they’re going to scratch things, give them things to scratch that they like, put them where they’ll use them and usually they’ll just gravitate to what you’ve provided because it’s so convenient and not bother with anything else.
“I’ve used a lot of the cardboard scratchers that just sit around on the floor because the cats and kittens can step right up onto them and they immediately start to scratch when they feel that rough texture beneath their paws,” I said, adding that having at least one in every room is probably what saved my furniture along with a regular carpeted scratching post and a cat tree I’d gathered over the years. “They like rough surfaces—think tree bark,” I added.
“Remember that they think you are big cats, too, and they are going to try to play with you as if you really are just another cat,” I continued. “Don’t fall for it. Touching them is for affection, not wrestling. Never play with them directly with your hand or they’ll think your hand is one of their toys. If they want to wrestle, grab a plush toy and let them tackle that. Teach the little boys (her two young sons) to drag the sturdy string toys around for the kittens to chase, it’ll be a lot more fun for the boys anyway.”
Make sure the litter box is convenient, on the same floor and only one or two rooms away at any given time. Once kittens are litter trained it’s usually permanent, but if they have to go and can’t find the box quickly, they’ll find the next best thing, usually a spot that’s inconvenient to you.
Make sure food and water are always available, too. Kittens need a high-protein diet because of their rate of growth, and unless they are somehow ill they will eat and drink as much as they need to as long as it’s available. But keep the litterbox and the food bowl in separate rooms, if possible, or at least far enough away that the two won’t mix.
I know I offered many more little points in the guise of anecdotes and stories from my own and others’ experience, but finally it seemed as if they had all the information they could hold for one session. I asked the daughter if she had any ideas for names. She said she had lots of ideas but didn’t divulge any, meaning she probably thought I wouldn’t know who or what she was talking about, which was highly likely.
She and her friend got up and went to the dining car, and I had the opportunity to say to her mom what I had just been thinking, remembering about my own first kitten: “Just think of all the years of her life this cat will see, through her teenage years and high school, she might go off to college and leave the cat with you, but the cat will be there for her when she comes home to visit, or she may take it with her when she gets her own place. She could be into her 30s before she loses it. All those important years of her life shared with this one cat you are about to bring home….”
“Wow,” said her mother, “that’s right, cats live a long time and she could be married with her own children by that time.”
Her daughter returned and she pointed this out to her, to little response, but again the glance and the nod. She had to be cool in front of her friend.
Mom had to take a call from her office, even though it was Sunday and we were on the train, and there the conversation ended until they left the train halfway to my destination, when we said goodbye and good luck.
I was left thinking about all the years I’d spent with cats, from Bootsie, my first cat, to those who are with me now, I’ve measured eras in cat lives. I enjoyed the thought of a responsible adult and a caring young woman adopting a shelter kitten, and hoped it brought many happy endings for the people and for those cats, and for other animals each of those children would encounter or adopt later in life, and even for other people, as we know that children learn important interpersonal lessons from animals.
And what a joy for the opportunity to share the knowledge I’d both observed and intentionally learned over the years, gleaned from both the happy and the sad events and memories. Isn’t that what I do every day through my writing and art so I can do my part to make life better for cats and all animals and the people who love them, and give people images and a voice to describe how they feel about their animal companions?
But for now, I’ll still think of the household with one or two new kittens, whichever they decided, and picture the girl with her tabby and the little boys running around with strings for the kittens to chase. It’s a very happy thought.
I’ll soon be telling the story of the orange kitten at the top of this article—another magical rescue story. All the other photos are of Lucy, Fromage and the Fantastic Four and other kittens you may have seen in my articles, but I hadn’t realized such a trend in black kittens in my house in the past several years. I’ll have to dig out those prints on film from earlier litters!
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All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
A Little Baby Foster Kitten
Posted: September 27, 2011 Filed under: animal rescue, bathroom, black cats, cat photographs, cats, feline health, fostering pets, kittens, neonatal kittens | Tags: cats, feline photographs, foster, foster kitten, kittens, neo-natal kitten 4 Comments
In fact, the world does revolve around me.
It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since a friend brought little Fromage to me, a tiny kitten screeching for food and comfort somehow lost and found in an abandoned lot during the struggles of the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh in 2009. I took the photo above about a week after she arrived, but the photos in the article below were from her first few days. So much happened in a short time: she arrived three months after I lost Namir, Dickie came to live with us for a year a few weeks after she arrived, and the Fantastic Four had their first taste of fostering a kitten—and taught me a lesson in nurturing, that it’s best done by one, or four, of your own kind! She’s all grown up now at 2, so she thinks, and I still get to visit her. The other articles are linked below; enjoy watching her grow up!

Fromage on Day One--in my house, at least!
Little, little kittens fascinate me. A miniature that can easily fit in my outstretched hand with a Hello Kitty head and stubby legs sits and licks the side of her paw then swipes it across her face, though she sways perilously from side to side with the effort.
As soon as their eyes have barely opened at ten days to two weeks of age every moment is spent building skills and coordination, gathering knowledge out of the air and fearlessly exploring their surroundings and conquering the errant toy or human foot that gets in their way. They never worry about falling down or making mistakes or looking stupid.

Fromage attempts to talk to Basement Cat.
By six weeks they can climb a scratching post, run faster than you, chase and kill a small insect or even a tiny animal if necessary, give themselves a complete bath and get into more trouble than you can imagine because they have yet to develop any common sense.
I am fostering a very young kitten for the first time in many, many years. She came in at about two weeks of age, fitting herself from nose to rump easily on the length of my hand, her eyes open but that cloudy blue gray that still doesn’t focus. A friend’s daughter heard her at night, tangled in brambles in a city lot, squeaking with a volume hard to believe in something that weighed just a few ounces. Her little life depended on that volume, though, and her persistence and vocal skill paid off in her rescue and is typically indicative of a cat with a strong will to live, able to face down most ills that may befall her through the rest of her life.
That early audaciousness has translated into an easy adaptability and an outgoing, affectionate personality, even in less than a week. At about three weeks old she had doubled her entry weight, at least by my little postal scale, was a little longer than my outstretched hand, her legs had grown so she was at least off the floor, her eyes were clear and her pupils reacted to light, and she was ready for action.

Fromage gets lost in one of my skirts. I hope it doesn't damage her young eyes.
At this age she is considered “neo-natal”, not newborn but still recently-born and needing some critical nurturing. Her body was really too young to digest solid food at first, so I purchased kitten formula and a tiny bottle with miniature nipples to fit on the top. She was confused by the bottle, which did not feel like Mom, so I put a few drops of formula on the inside of my arm and got her little face in it. It had warmed to my skin temperature and she began lapping immediately and kneading my arm. I slipped the nipple of the bottle toward her tongue and squeezed a little more formula onto my arm, and eventually she got the connection and finally nursed from the bottle for a little but mostly from the crook of my arm and then from a shallow dish.
It took one session to recognize the cloth I put on my lap when I fed her. She danced and squeaked and climbed all over me as I sat down on the floor with her formula.
From Little Bitty Fuzzballs…
Posted: August 17, 2011 Filed under: black cats, cat photographs, daily photo, fantastic four, mimi's children | Tags: black cat appreciation day, black cats, cats, four cats, four kittens, kittens, newborn kittens, young kittens 2 Comments
A four-kitten pile-up.
…to sassy tweens…

From top, Mewsette, Jelly Bean, Giuseppe (with the green paint on his ear), Mr. Sunshine.
…to medium-sized sleek and agile teens…

Everybody on the Rocker
…to full-grown graceful and loving adults…

The Fantastic Four on August 16, 2011, all grown up.
…they’ve always been best friends! I can’t get enough of watching them together.
Three Kittens in a Jim Beam Box
Posted: July 11, 2011 Filed under: adopting a kitten, animal rescue, animal welfare, kittens | Tags: abandoned kittens, homeless kittens, kittens, kittens for adoption, ohiopyle state park, rescue kittens 5 Comments
These kittens were dropped off at Ohiopyle State Park.
…dropped off at the Train Station near Ohiopyle State Park. Apparently the heartless –#$%^&!– who dropped them off thought they were doing them a favor, and they may have considering some of the other possibilities.
The note with the photo on the Ohiopyle State Park Facebook page says:
Three more kittens dropped off in a Jim Beam box at the Train Station. Thankfully we got to them before the storm came through. A fourth was seen crawling out of the box but we couldn’t find it. Call the park office at 724-329-8591 to adopt or SPCA will be picking them up sometime tomorrow.
So it’s “Captain Jack Sparrow”
Posted: April 12, 2011 Filed under: adopting a cat, adopting a kitten, cat photographs, cats, fostering pets, kittens | Tags: adopted kitten, cat photographs, cats, feline photographs, kittens, orange kitten, pet photography, photography 5 Comments

Someone is always holding Captain Jack!
Personally, I think a pirate captain’s name is entirely appropriate for a kitten who swaggered into several lives and took them over! His name was “Jett” for a day or two, but you’ll see the change when you get to the end of this post.
The new family has a final report for the end of the first week:
Well, our little love bug is doing just fine. He has the speed of a jet airplane, zooming up and down the steps, running all over the house. We’ll think he stopped and sat down someplace, and now he’s zooming off to his next destination. So my husbans came up with the name of Jett, aka Jetter-boy.
Jett immediately and subsequently responded to this name, whereas before he ignored every name we asked him about! His looks were like come on you mere humans get with it and figure out my name! With “Jett” he began strutting around.
Jett has his official napping spots, on a very old antique chair situated to be able to sit and look out onto the deck and watch the numerous birds and squirrels eating. The three girl cats have never napped on this chair- never. That’s the daytime nap. We call it ” King Jett’s Throne”. Afternoon-Evening time is on a old chair in the family room, where Jett can visit with Jack (our guinea pig). And Jett’s nightly sleeping spot is officially my son’s bed. Now, all humans have a cat sleeping with them.
The other morning I was in the twilight aura of waking up, I had a pillow over my head and cuddled under the warm covers….. but lo and behold…. and I’m BARELY conscious and all of a sudden this little Jett jumps on the pillow over my head, gets himself settled, and then…. there’s this paw sloooooowly reaching over my head, slowly making its way down to my face, and bam it attacks my nose. Followed by a full face looking down to me, as if to ask the question “what’s going on and why are you not awake yet!” OK! I’m awake now. Jett realizes this, and proceeded the do a forward flip, into a back roll and back up to patting my nose! Then he got all comfortable and decided to lick my nose… I know, I know… awwwwww!!
Jett was so pleased with himself, that he sat himself down next to me as if to say “look what I did- I woke you up!!!!” Then he realized we had not gotten out of bed yet (the alarm had another 10 minutes to go off) so with Jett’s sense of timing, he decided his best course of action would be to not so subtlety sneak under the covers and take a nap between us! At his most comfortable curl up! Ok, can we humans say “positive reinforcement?????”
Jett has fully weaned himself off of the upstairs makeshift litter and feeding bowls, to join the 3 girls down in the laundry room where their meals and litter are kept. He loves being first cat in after we do our daily cleaning and feeding. And the three girls cats must have their own time with Jett too. Seriously!
Jett is also an extremely social cat. He has to be in the middle of all of us, taking part, in the way, and thoroughly enjoying himself. He is inquisitive of EVERYTHING! Nothing escapes his attention.
Jett -Joy has brought so much joy to our family of humans, dogs, cats, guinea pig, and fish- maybe. Ok, whatever.
This evening Jett and Jack the guinea pig sat on the chair sniffling each other. Neither realized who hunter vs. prey was suppose to be. They were fine. To be on the safe side, that would only happen under adult supervision. Rule #1: No eating other family members.
Jett, is a complete joy to have joined our home. He was just one of those animals that we knew was just meant to be with our family. We frequently say no to others, but once in a while, there’s that special animal that “speaks to you” and you meet each other , lock eyes and you know it is right for all involved.
I’ll keep you posted as he matures.
Jett is the sweetest of sweethearts! We’re honored to have him join our family! It has been a good fit!
Ok, ANOTHER name change: Captain Jack [Sparrow]. Jett just wasn’t working. He is such a sweetie!! 🙂 And still chasing the vacuum.
So what else do you say about the little kitten who came from nowhere and brought little bits of happiness to so many lives? Where did he come from? How did he happen to be in my front yard? And how did he so quickly connect with the family who loves him as if he’s always been with them? I’ve been so happy to share this whole process, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the audacious little orange kitten who found his forever home! Sounds like a children’s book to me!
Follow his progress through my household:
An Update on the Little Orange Guy
So it’s “Captain Jack Sparrow”
A Christmas Message from Jack’s Family
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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used in any way without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
An Update on the Little Orange Guy!
Posted: April 7, 2011 Filed under: adopting a kitten, cat photographs, cats, fostering pets, kittens, photographs | Tags: adopted kitten, cat photographs, cats, feline photographs, kittens, orange kitten, pet photography, photography 6 Comments
He discovers a rubber band, or as his new mom says, "or for you Pittsburghers 'gumband'."
Apparently, he has accepted the home of his adoptive family as his own castle and himself as king of all who live there human and animal. What a character! He loves everyone, works on the three girl cats and bosses the—big—dogs around! I like the part where he chases the vaccuum cleaner.
Here are two updates from his new family—and thanks for the photos, guys!
MONDAY, APRIL 4
Early morning:
Ohhhhhh, the little guy is so funny and the best temper! He wants to be friends with everyone. The dogs already love him. The cats are being, well, cautious. He’s actually smaller (not taller) than our pig. Keeping him seperate though. He favors Mark and Ian! They fell in love with him. Although he wants to be around whoever has an empty lap or something to play with.

"Yes, I am king of all I see."
Still debating names. We keep calling different ones to him, when we hold him, to get a reaction, so far he looks when “Louis” is called—with the French version. Who knows.
His stools have firmed up and he’s using litter just fine. Mark bought kitten food. And thinks we need to buy some more toys. He made him a scratch pad out of wood and an old piece of carpet. We took pics, but I need to get ready for work, so will post later.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Sara told Ian the kitten could be his special cat if he wanted, because she has three.
Later in the day:
I forgot how inquisitive little ones are. Our baby boy is into EVERYTHING! I love it. I came home from work to discover our son and the kitten napping together!!! This kitten was definitely meant to be part of our family. Still nameless, he could care less what names we are asking him to consider. I guess he has more important things to decided. Such as which dog, cat or guinea pig to attack. He just bounds up to someone and the look on his face is “you’re my friend, let’s play!” The older cats- Amber-Grace (9), Zoe (8) and Sophia (7), the later sisters, look at him as if to say “you little adolescent, can’t you see we’re the Queens of the house… now, off, go play with the mere dogs” Meanwhile Elle (12.5 and 115#’s) and Bailey (6 and 50#’s) are intimidated and whimper as if they aren’t sure what to do, so the dogs lick the kitten and he gently paws at their noses.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
Well, our little baby boy is such a sweetie!!! He was MOST interested in the vacuum today, not just chasing the chord, but chasing it as I was vacuuming. He however won’t acknowledge any sort of name we keep asking him about. In the past we would always say names to each of our pets and they would at some point twitch their ears or some kind of acknowledgment, but not this guy. So obviously these humans are too dim witted to realize what he considers his name to be.

Observing the guinea pig.
The dogs and he are in love with each other, and he realized that the guinea pig is not of any benefit to him other than watching. I held each and let them sniff noses, and that was it. End of story. The same with the fish, visual amusement, but not enough to keep going back.
Ohmygosh can he race up and down the steps! Today he discovered how to jump in the front windows and see more birds. However, he is far too interested in comparing whose bed is more comfortable. We keep him in our room/bathroom when we are not home, when someone is home… he’s following us around and making friends with his housemates. We groomed him, and he didn’t mind having his nails trimmed. He is just the happiest, most joyful little guy and seems to want to know anything that is going on!! He found the other cats litter boxes and promptly left his little present to the girls. The one cat we thought would be mama-hen is jealous, the sisters are more open… Just the opposite than we thought. And the dogs let him play with their tails and snuggle close.Ian is just enthralled with the kitten—he tries to act so cool and nonchalant, however, if no one is looking…. he is the biggest animal lover in the world. I took a pic of him and the kitten sleeping together.

After a hard day as a kitten.
NOTE
Just for reference, Ian is a “cool” 19, but he’s a cat guy at heart! Sara is 17 and loves any animal that exists.
I also noticed the little guy’s new mom changed her profile picture to one of him. Could there be a happier adoption? And could I be more pleased that I was the conduit to have found this kitten and gotten him safely to the family he was apparently meant to be with?
This is the kitten who a week ago was running around on a rainy street trying to get someone’s attention, but he was truly on a mission. I can’t wait to see what great things come of him. It’s strange that no one has yet called, though I left the signs up. It’s their loss!
Follow his progress through my household:
An Update on the Little Orange Guy
So it’s “Captain Jack Sparrow”
A Christmas Message from Jack’s Family
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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used in any way without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.
Adopted!
Posted: April 3, 2011 Filed under: adopting a kitten, cat photographs, cats, kittens, rescue cats | Tags: adopting a kitten, cat photographs, cats, feline photographs, fostering cats, kittens, pet photography, pets, photography, rescued cats 4 Comments
Orange kitten with new family
Well, the little guy went home with the first person who had mentioned adopting him, and I know they’ll give him a wonderful home.
Many years ago, when the teenager on the left was just a toddler, I did first a portrait of the family’s Dalmatian, Emmy, then later a family portrait with all the animals, including the little white rat.
When someone asks you about adopting a foster kitty even before you offer him, it’s a serious thing. It’s been less than a week since I found him, but I’ve not had one call or comment from anyone, including the neighbors. If someone calls, the new person and I can decide what do do. In the meantime, she promises she’ll post progress photos.
I wish all adoptions were this easy! There have been many times I’ve had foster kittens and cats and no matter how persuasive I tried to be it all came to naught.
I will miss the little carrot top. He was so pretty and kittens are so fun! But the Big Four can have their drinks at the sink again, and the girls can have their room service and rest in the afternoon. And I can have my shower without a playful kitten joining me. I’m sure we’ve all had a taste of tiny kitten claws in bare wet skin!
I am always asked if it’s hard to give them up or if I miss them when they’re gone, and I tell people that when they are leaving for a good home it’s like giving two gifts: one to the people who already love him and who will continue to love and care for him and share their lives with him for as long as he lives, and one to the cat or kitten who now has a loving home for the rest of his life.
Think of the relationships you’ve had with your pets, how they began and how they grew and how they enriched your life and will stay with you always. I think of this every time I hand over a rescued kitty to a new family, that this eternal bond is just beginning and will grow into something rich and deep—and I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of it, to help build love and trust in the world. I’ve loved every cat who’s come through here, but it would be selfish to try to keep them all—I’d rather share the love.
Here, I can tell he’s happy with his new girlfriend, and it was love at first sight for her. It’s too bad this photo is a little blurry, but I can still tell he’s saying, “Thanks!”
If there was ever a doubt in my mind that finding a good home for a kitten was the right thing to do, a photo like this eliminates those doubts.

Thanks!
Follow his progress through my household:
An Update on the Little Orange Guy
So it’s “Captain Jack Sparrow”
A Christmas Message from Jack’s Family
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All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used in any way without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.